5 ways to squeeze out the last moments of summer

Moms and dads are in countdown mode to the first day of school (less than a week for most of us!) but there’s still time to make a few more summer memories. So how do you eke the last bit of summer out of the days ahead? We’ve come up with five quick and easy ways to mark the end of the season.

Get swimming

Most outdoor community swimming pools and splash pads will shut down for the season after Labour Day weekend. Take the kids for one more dip this week before it’s back inside for regular swimming lessons.

Eat the season

It’s the most glorious time of year for fresh fruit and vegetables in much of the country. Sure, the big ones for kids’ activities—apples and pumpkins—are coming, but how about corn, peaches and the last of the summer berries? Find a pick-your-own, give the kids empty baskets and load up. (Don’t forget you can freeze fresh, in-season produce for a little hit of summer when the cold arrives!)

Stay up late

The return to routine is basically five minutes away. We know, how can that possibly be?! The experts advise a gradual return to the school bedtime routine leading up to the big first day (trust us, cold turkey school wakeup times won’t be fun for anyone) but how about one last late-night movie night? If there’s one in your area, hit up a drive-in theatre for a quintessential summer experience.

Pitch a tent

No campsite rental? No problem. Set up a tent in the backyard for one last camping hurrah (or, if you didn’t manage to get out there this year, to cross a final item off of the summer bucket list). You may not be able to have a campfire if you live in a city with open fire restrictions, but we’re on board with hot dogs off the barbecue and ghost stories under the stars.

Find a once-a-year experience

There are end-of-summer fairs, parades and events across the country, so do a little digging to see what’s nearby. If you’re close to Toronto or Vancouver, you still have a week to catch the Pacific National Exhibition or the Canadian National Exhibition. The PNE and CNE are both classic summer event staples that are more than a century old—think midway rides and games, fun food vendors (rainbow grilled cheese! Pickle pizza!), live entertainment and more.

Special thanks to Alexis McEachern and Lily Webber for these shots from this year’s CNE.